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sunny_not's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
After the middle bit I was not interested in the story at all and I really didn't wanted to continue but I kept going since it's such a short book. I'm glad that I continued since after that backstory bit it picked up the pace which made the story a lot better in the end. So even though some parts were really boring I liked the story in the end but not as much as other murder mystery books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
silver_valkyrie_reads's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I read and re-read Sherlock Holmes in general MANY times in my teen years, but I think only read this one once, or possibly even gave up in the middle of the long back story section.
This time through it clearly confirmed my love of Sherlock Holmes, despite the passing decades. Though I still didn't love the back story section, it was a lot easier to engage in as an adult, if only because I was mentally prepared for it this time.
Possibly not the best book to start with if you've never read Sherlock Holmes before, but very enjoyable for all the classic mystery and (now stereotypical) clever deduction moments.
This time through it clearly confirmed my love of Sherlock Holmes, despite the passing decades. Though I still didn't love the back story section, it was a lot easier to engage in as an adult, if only because I was mentally prepared for it this time.
Possibly not the best book to start with if you've never read Sherlock Holmes before, but very enjoyable for all the classic mystery and (now stereotypical) clever deduction moments.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Kidnapping
adrijagd's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Murder
chalkletters's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Sherlock Holmes was the third fictional detective I was introduced to, after Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. My mum used to have the books on tape, and I remember that the first time I listen to <em>A Study in Scarlet</em>, I was absolutely riveted. Not so much by the relationship between Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes, that came later, but by the story of Jefferson Hope. As a teen, I accepted it without question or critical thought. And, though I remember it less clearly, that must have been how I've engaged with it every time since.
This time, however, the story that used to enthral me has absolutely enraged me. Which isn't to say that <em>A Study in Scarlet</em> is any less interesting or less well written since I first experienced it all those years ago. It's just that I've become a more discerning reader, and that's actually pretty cool.
If you haven't read <em>A Study in Scarlet</em> and you care about spoilers, come back to this review later, because what so angered me is pretty crucial to the murderer's motive.
Jefferson Hope claims to love Lucy Ferrier so much that he devotes his whole life to revenge on the men who forced her into marriage. Alright, that's a little old-fashioned, perhaps, but <em>A Study in Scarlet </em>is set in 1880, so that's not my problem. My problem is that after Lucy gets married, Jefferson Hope walks away and leaves her to die. He is right there on the spot, he's already attempted to rescue her once, but as soon as he hears that the marriage has already taken place, he turns around and walks off! He makes no attempt to rescue her from a situation that he's told is so bad she will probably die of grief. And she does, she dies, all while Jefferson Hope is plotting to avenge her death!
I think when I was younger, I just accepted that, of course, marriage is forever, there's no way Lucy could be saved from it. And, to an extent, that might be true. Lucy, it is implied, is a religious woman in 1880. She might not have been in favour of divorce, even were it legally possible. But nobody asks her. Jefferson Hope doesn't ask whether she'd rather run away with him and live in sin than endure life married to a man who killed her father. It's not even stated in the text that he presumes to know what her preference would be.
He's just told that she's married and he walks away. It's presented absolutely without comment or question. And it's made me angrier than anything I've read in a long time!
While I wouldn't say that this detracted from the merits of <em>A Study in Scarlet</em>, it certainly has distracted me from the rest of the story. This review probably isn't a very useful one if you want to know whether you should read the book: but that's not really what this blog is about. This blog is about recording my experience of the books I read and, this time, my experience of <em>A Study in Scarlet</em> has been profoundly shaped by my distaste for a character I formerly sympathised with.
This time, however, the story that used to enthral me has absolutely enraged me. Which isn't to say that <em>A Study in Scarlet</em> is any less interesting or less well written since I first experienced it all those years ago. It's just that I've become a more discerning reader, and that's actually pretty cool.
If you haven't read <em>A Study in Scarlet</em> and you care about spoilers, come back to this review later, because what so angered me is pretty crucial to the murderer's motive.
Jefferson Hope claims to love Lucy Ferrier so much that he devotes his whole life to revenge on the men who forced her into marriage. Alright, that's a little old-fashioned, perhaps, but <em>A Study in Scarlet </em>is set in 1880, so that's not my problem. My problem is that after Lucy gets married, Jefferson Hope walks away and leaves her to die. He is right there on the spot, he's already attempted to rescue her once, but as soon as he hears that the marriage has already taken place, he turns around and walks off! He makes no attempt to rescue her from a situation that he's told is so bad she will probably die of grief. And she does, she dies, all while Jefferson Hope is plotting to avenge her death!
I think when I was younger, I just accepted that, of course, marriage is forever, there's no way Lucy could be saved from it. And, to an extent, that might be true. Lucy, it is implied, is a religious woman in 1880. She might not have been in favour of divorce, even were it legally possible. But nobody asks her. Jefferson Hope doesn't ask whether she'd rather run away with him and live in sin than endure life married to a man who killed her father. It's not even stated in the text that he presumes to know what her preference would be.
He's just told that she's married and he walks away. It's presented absolutely without comment or question. And it's made me angrier than anything I've read in a long time!
While I wouldn't say that this detracted from the merits of <em>A Study in Scarlet</em>, it certainly has distracted me from the rest of the story. This review probably isn't a very useful one if you want to know whether you should read the book: but that's not really what this blog is about. This blog is about recording my experience of the books I read and, this time, my experience of <em>A Study in Scarlet</em> has been profoundly shaped by my distaste for a character I formerly sympathised with.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence
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